Most Reverend Peter J. Elliott

Peter John Elliott was born in 1943, in Melbourne. His parents were Rev. Leslie Llewelyn Elliott and Irene Ann (June) Rooke.

After education in government schools and Melbourne Grammar School (1956-1961), he gained a Master of Arts in history, University of Melbourne, and a Master of Arts in theology, University of Oxford. At Oxford he was received into the Catholic Church in June 1968. He returned to Melbourne in 1969 to commence studies for the priesthood at Corpus Christi College, Glen Waverley.

He was ordained a priest in 1973 at the Fortieth International Eucharistic Congress and went on to work as Assistant Priest in Springvale, Lilydale and at Mentone, where he was Secretary to Bishop John A. Kelly, 1979-1984. He also served briefly as Assistant Priest in East Hampton in 1987.

In 1984 he commenced doctoral research at the Lateran University, Rome, John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family. He gained a Doctorate in Sacred Theology in 1986 with a thesis on the sacramentality of marriage.

In 1987 he became an Official of the Pontifical Council for the Family in the Roman Curia. In 1992 he was named a Chaplain of His Holiness with the title Monsignor. During ten years of Vatican service he travelled extensively and was involved in international courses and conferences on the family and marriage in all continents.

Msgr. Elliott was a member of the Delegation of the Holy See at the United Nations Conference on Population held in Cairo (1994), at the United Nations Social Summit held in Copenhagen (1995) and at the United Nations Conference on Women held in Beijing (1995).

In December 1997 he returned to Australia to become Episcopal Vicar for Religious Education in the Archdiocese of Melbourne. He is the General Editor of the Archdiocesan religious education texts, To Know, Worship and Love.

In December 2001 he was appointed Parish Priest of St Mary the Immaculate Conception, East Malvern.

In 2004 he was created a Prelate of Honour by Pope John Paul II.

In December 2004 he was appointed Director of the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family, Melbourne.

Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as an Auditor at the World Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist, held in Rome in October 2005.

In 2005 he was appointed to a five-year term as Consulter to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

On April 30, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Titular Bishop of Manaccenser and Auxiliary Bishop in Melbourne. He was ordained Bishop on June 15, 2007. Archbishop Denis J. Hart entrusted him with the Southern Region of Archdiocese of Melbourne.

In 2007 he was elected a Member of Australian Catholic Bishops’ Commission on Pastoral Life and appointed Bishop Member of the Australian Catholic Disability Council.

In November, 2009, the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference appointed him Episcopal Delegate for the project of a Personal Ordinariate for former Anglicans in Australia.

In 2010 this appointment was recognized by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Bishop Elliott is well known as a speaker and as the author of books and articles in the fields of theology, Church history, catechetics, liturgy, marriage and the family, apologetics and demography.

CURRENT APPOINTMENTS (2010)

Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne, Southern Region of the Archdiocese

A Vicar General

Episcopal Vicar for Religious Education

Consulter to the Archbishop of Melbourne

Member of the Curia and the Council of Priests of the Archdiocese of Melbourne

Censor Deputatus of the Archdiocese of Melbourne

Episcopal Delegate of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference for the Anglican Use Ordinariate project, recognised by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

Director, Permanent Fellow and Professor of the John Paul II Institute for the Family, Melbourne

Member of the International Council for Catechesis, Congregation for the Clergy

Chaplain, Knight Commander with Star, Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem

Board Member of Chaplains without Borders

ACADEMIC CURRICULUM VITAE

Born

October 1, 1943

1961

Matriculation: Melbourne Church of England Boys Grammar School

1965

Bachelor of Arts, Honours: Pure History with Philosophy Major University of Melbourne (Trinity College) (Final Year Thesis: “The Encomium Sancti Thomae Aquinatis in the Life and Thought of Lorenzo Valla")